Tennessee supermarket wine bill up for key votes next week

ERIK SCHELZIG, Associated Press
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Jan 23, 2014 at 2:36 PM

NASHVILLE — The full Senate is scheduled to vote next week on a proposal to allow wine to be sold in Tennessee supermarkets, while a House committee that killed last year's version is set to consider reviving the measure.

Republican Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey of Blountville says the upper chamber has scheduled a Jan. 30 vote on the bill seeking to authorize cities to hold referendums on whether to allow wine to be sold outside of liquor stores.

Liquor industry lobbyists have been negotiating over the House version of the bill, seeking to carve out big box retailers and convenience stores from the measure.

Sponsors say those negotiations will continue through the weekend, and the measure is scheduled to be heard in the House Local Government Committee on Tuesday.